Compensating device for submarine boats.



No. 778.339.. PATBNTBD DEG.27,1904.

'L Y. SPEAR.

COMBBNSATING DEVICE FOR SUBMARINE Bows. APPLICATION FILDAUG. 1. 1903.RBIEWBD MAY 24. 1904. g

l IWI LAWRENCE Y. sPEAR, oF. eREENPoRT, New

' UNITED STATES Patented December 27, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.A

YORK, AssIGNoR To ELEC- TRIO BOAT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

COMPENSATING DEVICE SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.778,339, dated December 27, 1904.

Application filed August l, 1903. Renewed May 24, 1904. Serial No.209,594. Y

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, LAWRENCEY. ASPEAR, of Greenport, in the county ofSuffolk and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Oompensating Devices for Submergible and SubmarineBoats, .of which the following is a specication.-

This invention relates to the class of submergible and submarine boatswhich carry torpedoes and have means for expelling them; and it has forits object improved means for compensating the weight of torpedoes movedin a fore-and-aft direction within the boat with the purpose in view ofmaintaining con-` stant or very nearly constant the fore-and-aft centerof gravity of the system at all times during the shifting and after theshifting of the torpedo.

In the accompanying drawing the-ligure is' a horizontal section ofasubmarine boat provided 4with the invention, the'plane of the sectionbeing substantially in the axis' of the hull of the boat. Only theforward part vof the boat is shown and only such features of themechanism as are necessary to illustrate the present invention.

' 1 is the hull of the boat. 2 designates an expulsion-tube therein,closed at its outboard end by a hinged cap 3 and at its inboard end by adoor 4, both adapted to close water-tight. This door L is shown in thedrawingas mounted on hinges ,and as thrown open; 5 and 511 designatetorpedoes, the former being shown in position alined with theexpulsion-tube and ready for entering the latter. compensatingwater-tanks for the respective torpedoes. y

The above features are known and need not be more particularlydescribed. V

7 and 8 are water-receptacles connected, respectively, with theexpulsion-tube by pipes 9 and 10, controlled by stop-cocks or `valves'o' land b2. The combined capacities of the two receptacles 7 and 8equal substantially that of the expulsion-tube, and the capacity of thereceptacle 8 is equal to that of the exp pulsion-tube less the volume ofwater displaced by the torpedo when submerged, and

6 and 6a are- I the capacity of the receptacle 7 is of course equal tothe volume of water displaced by the torpedo. The center of gravity ofthe tank aft center of gravity of the expulsion-tube.

The receptacle 7 is coupled by a pipe l1 with the induction side of arotary pump 12, said pipe being controlled by a stop-cock b3, and the'induction side of this pump Vis connected with'the compensating tanks 6and 6*L through a pipe 3, controlled by cocks b4 and b5. This pump 12may be driven from any suitable motor 14., but preferably an electricmotor. The motor drives a windlass 15 through suitable gearing 16 and onthis wind'- lass winds-a rope or other iieXible connector .17, whichcarries at its end aV bracket 18, adapted to be secured to the stem orinboard end of the torpedo to be driven forward into the expulsion-tube.

19 is a compressed-air tank connected by a pipe 2O with theexpulsion-tube, the How being controlled by a stop-cock a.

The operation is as follows:` Suppose that at starting the cap 3 anddoor 4 are closed and the expulsion-tube is full of water, the tanks 66a and receptacles 7 and 8 are empty and the cocks all closed. Thetorpedo 5 is shifted into alinement with the expulsion-tube, as seen inthe drawing, and the cocks o and b2 opened. The air-cock a is now openedand the water blow-n from the eXpulsion-tubeinto the receptacles 7 and8. The cocks a, and 62 are nowV closed, the door t opened, and thebracket18secured to thetorpedo. The parts are now in the position seenin the drawing, and the next step is to move the torpedo 5 forward intothe expulsion-tube and to simultacle 7 to the compensating tank 6gradually as the torpedo is moved` forward, so as to avoid disturbingthe fore-and-aft center of gravity of the system. *To eifect this, the

set in motion to transfer the water from the receptacle 7 tothecompensating tank 6. Simultaneously the windlass 15' is rotated and therope 17 wound thereon, thus drawing the cocks b3 and [fare opened andthe pump 12l 7 is substantially coincident with the fore-andtaneouslytransfer the water from the receptorpedo into the tube, and by means ofthe cock b3 the iiow of the Water back to the tank c may be regulated,so as to eiect very accurate compensation.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A submarine orsubmergible boat having an expulsion-tube, a water-receptacle adjacentto said tube and having a capacity substantially equal to thedisplacement of the torpedo in the tube, a compensation-tank for thetorpedo, a pump which transfers the water from the said receptacle tothe said compensation-tank, a motor operating said pump, and means formoving the torpedo into the tube simultaneously with the shifting of'the compensating water.

2. A submarine or submergible boat having an expulsion-tube,awater-receptacle connected with said tube and having a capacity equalto the displacement of the torpedo submerged in the tube and having itscenter of gravity substantially coincident with the torcand-aft centerof gravity oi the expulsiontube, a compensation-tanl for the torpedo, apump which transfers the water vfrom the said water-receptacle to saidcompensation-tank, a motor operating said pump, a windlass operated bysaid motor simultaneously with the pump, the rope wound upon saidwindlass and provided with means for coupling it to the torpedo, and acontrolling-cock in the pipe between the water-receptacle and the pumpfor regulating the iiow.

In witness whereoil I have hereunto signed my name, this 27th day olJuly, 1903, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LLUVRENCE Y. SPEAK.

Witnesses:

HOWARD Y. TUTHILL, WILLIAM R. SANDS.

